Cruisers: Black PointThe settlement of Black Point is a gem! It has a great harbor with plenty of room in the anchorage. But, the most attractive thing about the settlement is the people - friendly, outgoing, and focused on being of service to cruisers. It is a must place to visit in the Exumas.

Little BayThis is the small bay located just S of Black Point (Chart EX-20). It has a beautiful beach and good protection from the NE to SE. The Anchorage has good holding in 8-13’ in sand throughout. It is an easy dinghy ride to Black Point in settled weather or a 30-min walk. There are no facilities here although someday the marina under construction may be completed.

Note: A topic with no bullets following indicates that there is nothing of this type available or that if it does exist no information is available. Email the Guide. if you have any related information. Check nearby locations for the services you seek.Updated: 20 March 2017Explorer Chart: EX-20, EX-20AAirstrip

There is a paved airstrip near the settlement.

Air Service

Aircraft serving Staniel Cay may stop at Black Point.

Flamingo Air; 242-351-4963; 242-377-0354 / 0364. Service twice daily to and from Nassau; also stops at Staniel Cay.

Anchorage

The anchorage is large with good holding in 8-10’ in sand throughout. There is good protection except from the WSW to WNW.

There is excellent holding in 8-14' in Little Bay just S of Black Point off of a beautiful beach. Anchorage is open from S to NW.

Area Information / Tourism

Bahamas Area Websites. Sites that can be searched for tourist and business information throughout the Bahamas.

Exumas Visitors Guide. A free guide booklet available at many local businesses. It provides a good directory of services and attractions throughout the Exumas.

Regatta Point is a facility on the W edge of the settlement on the S headland. It is used each year in August during the annual regatta.

Art Gallery / ArtBakery

Lorraine’s Café; 242-355-3095. Mom's fresh bread can be ordered as well as rum cakes, carrot cakes, and pies.

Corene's Bread. Contact through DeShamon's Restaurant; order in the afternoon for delivery the next day at noon. Choices: cinnamon, raisin, whole wheat, coconut, white.

Bank & ATMBeverage Store

Scorpio’s Restaurant & Bar; 242-355-3003. Beer and rum can be purchased from the bar for takeaway.

Craven and Ralph Kemp fish daily. They can be contacted at the end of the fishing day at the government pier or through Ida at Rockside Laundry. They will take orders for fish, conch, and lobsters to be delivered the next day.

Fuel

The closest sources of fuel are at Staniel, Cave, Sampson Cays.

In March 2017, a new pier had been built just W of Regatta Point. The plan is to open a marine support operation offering diesel, gasoline, and RO water. Expected to open Fall 2017.

Golf Cart / Scooter Rental

Adderley’s Friendly Store; 242-355-3016.

Rockside Laundry.

Government / Administrator

242-355-3020. Government services building is located at the land-end of government pier.

There is a weekly visit of staff to provide services.

Groceries & Produce

Adderley’s Friendly Store; 242-355-3016.

Sandra's Fresh Fruits and Vegetables.

Hardware & Lumber

Rockside Laundry; 242-355-3113. There are modest hardware supplies at the store.

History/Area News and Curiosities.

Bell Island reached an agreement with Black Point Settlement in late 2011 to allow them to deposit some dredging spoil on the unused land on the NW peninsula of the cay for future use in local building projects. In return, a new medical clinic will be built.

Ice

Adderley’s Friendly Store.

Lorraine’s Café; 242-355-3095.

DeShamon's Restaurant. Bags of ice cubes, 10-lb.

Winney's Ice; VHF Ch-16. Located in yellow house E of government dock to right of Holy Bible Mission Church. Block Ice; $5 / large block.

Ice Cream

Adderley’s Friendly Store.

Lorraine’s Café; 242-355-3095.

J&D Straw Mart. Attached to DeShamon's Restaurant.

Internet & WiFi

Internet service is available only through local businesses who provide it as a service to patrons. Cruisers should patronize the business and or make a donation as fair recompense for the cost of this valuable service.

Loraine’s Cafe has an internet room where there are also computers for use by cruisers. A $3 donation is requested to maintain the facility. New Mar 11: Lorraine now has DSL internet that supports a dual channel router so there are 3 wifi channels for use. DSL eliminates the slowdowns formerly caused by overload of the satellite service.

DeShamon Restaurant offers free wifi to customers.

Rockside Laundry offers free WiFi to customers.

Scorpios offers free WiFi to customers.

Laundry

Rockside Laundry; 242-355-3113; rocksideinn@yahoo.com; Ida Patton. Restroom, store. Closed Sundays. Experienced cruisers call this the best facility in the Bahamas & Caribbean. There are 10 washers & 10 driers that are clean and functional. One token each ($3.50 / token) for a ~35 min wash or a ~45 min dry [oblong tokes = wash; round tokens = dry]. It is set on a 20’ bluff on the SW shore of the bay with a beautiful view and dinghy dock for patrons. Ida Patton offers coffee, carrot cake and delicious fresh conch fritters. Free WiFi. Ask Ida to sing -- she has a beautiful voice.

Lorraine’s Café; 242-355-3095. Drop-off service for women's clothes.

Library

The library is located next to the communication center for the all-age school

MV Captain C provides mailboat service; arriving on Wednesday afternoons after serving Staniel Cay. [2017: Service is 3 times a month; there is some variation in this schedule.]

MV Lady Francis occasionally stops on as it travels to and from San Salvador.

Marina & Dockage

There is currently no marina at Black Point (March 2017). However, construction is underway on what is to become Golden Grove Marina. The facility is being built by the brother of Simon Smith (DeShamon's) who lives in FL. A new large pier has been constructed along the shore about 0.2 nm W of Regatta Point. The plan is to have a full service marina offering diesel, gasoline, RO water, electrical power initially and then expand to offer slips. The next step is to complete a road from the pier to the existing main road. Infrastructure is to then follow. Target opening late in 2017.

Marine Supplies & Parts

Rockside Laundry. There are modest marine supplies available at the store.

Marine Services & Repairs

Uriah Rolle; contact through Lorraine's Cafe.

Medical / Clinic / Pharmacy

Government Clinic; 242-355-3007. Nurse on staff.

Moorings

There are no moorings available for rent.

Navigation

The anchorage averages 8' to 9'; the E end has extensive shallows that dry out at low tides.

There are natural channels along the N and S shores.

Depths are generally greater than shown on most charts; but beware of the large low area at the center of the outer area of the harbor between the N & S headlands.

Holding is excellent.

Packages & Shipping

Watermakers Air; 954-771-0330; freight@watermakersair.com Will transport items that you have shipped to their Ft. Lauderdale office. There are twice daily flights to Staniel Cay. They handle customs at the stop at Andros on the way to Staniel. Watermakers Shipping Instructions/Form This is a great service!

MV Retriever; 910-599-8707; captnmarc@aol.com A freight boat providing regular freight service between Miami FL and the Exumas. The ship has a 3000 lb crane to handle heavier items. They handle customs and VAT.

Personal Servies

Haircuts are available from Ida at the Rockside Laundry ($15-20; March 2017).

The closest source for propane refills is at Isles General Store, Staniel Cay.

ResortRestaurant & Bar

B&B Sporting Lounge A new small bar opened in Aug 2011 across the street from the Rockside Laundry by local brothers, Berlin & Barry.

DeShamon’s Restaurant; 242-355-3122; VHF Ch-16. Lunch & dinner (dinner reservations are requested; they do not advertise dinner, but give them a call and they will set it up for you). Open 1100 to "until". Tuesday nights barbecue special (chicken, ribs). Great pizza; the best in the Bahamas! Free wifi for patrons. Located across from Aderley's Friendly Store; Owners: Simon & Diann. The restaurant underwent a substantial expansion in 2016. There is a large well appointed dining room in the rear with a beautiful bar. A lunch buffet is often available for guests aboard tour boats from Great Exuma. Cruisers are welcome to purchase this buffet for lunch.

Lorraine’s Café; 242-355-3095; VHF Ch-16; lorainerolle@yahoo.com; Lorraine Rolle. Breakfast, lunch, dinner. Great food, cold beer. This is one of the most known and beloved restaurants in the Exumas. Over the last two years it has been substantially upgraded: new kitchen wing, new interior for the dining room, all new tables, chairs, high tops, bar; outside deck with new umbrella tables. There is a new extended menu, too. Free internet & wifi (a donation to help support this service is suggested for non-patrons). BBQ & Grill Happy Hour, Tuesdays & Saturdays. Superbowl party. Lorraine will organize Bahamian buffet meals for groups of cruisers on request. These a great social and culinary events. Lorraine also bakes cakes & pies and don't forget her Mom's fantastic bread.

Black Point is a great gathering point for cruisers. The luncheons, dinners, and happy hours offered by the restaurants & bars are a great way to meet fellow cruisers.

Over the last few years, tour boats from Great Exuma and Nassau have been stopping at Black Point for their patrons to have lunch. Several years ago it was an occasional stop; by 2017 several tour operations stop on an almost daily basis depending on the weather. The tour guests are usually quite interested in meeting cruisers and learning about the cruising lifestyle.

TaxiThings to See & Do

Bonefishing: Susan's Bonefish Lodge; 242-355-3116 / 3010.

Beach: There is a beautiful beach at the E end of the bay.

Garden of Eden: sculpture garden at W edge of settlement. Willie Rolle has collected driftwood that he has arranged into a sculpture garden. It takes a good eye to grasp the underlying image but with some help from Wille and the right perspective it is fascinating. He and his wife have an amazing garden with fruits and flowers from all over the tropics growing out of potholes they have carefully copostedl

Hiking Along the ocean (E) beach to N is great.

There is a Blow-hole that can be reached by a trail just to the S of the graveyard that is E of the beach in the anchorage.

Trash disposal is provided by the settlement in a trailer located behind building on Government Pier. A donation to support this service is encouraged; there is a donation box on the front of the trailer.

Veterinarian

There is no local veterinarian; see Great Exuma / George Town for service.

Standard Bahamas VHF Protocol: Ch-16 is for marine emergencies, safety, and hailing. It is also used by local Bahamian shore facilities for hailing. Communication traffic must be shifted to another channel.

Water

Free RO water to fill jerry cans is provided by the settlement at a roadside spigot across the street and 100’ W of the Government Pier. Cruisers are urged to use modest amounts.

Weather

Highborne Cay Marina broadcasts weather daily at 0730 on VHF Ch 06.

Marine Weather Center; Daily SSB, webcast, & email forecasts by Chris Parker. Note: Best reception in this area is usually on 4045 KHz USB Simplex at 0630 AST.

Bahamas Met Office website provides weather forecast for local areas throughout the Bahamas.

"Blue Yonder" (C6AGJ) based on MV Emerald at Staniel Cay broadcasts a weather summery from multiple sources at 0800 on VHF Ch-12. The service is provided during the period of late November to May.